The Freedom Front Plus said that the party distances itself from the Freedom Park in its current form. The party also challenged other political parties, and specifically the ANC, to do the same in a spirit of reconciliation.
This follows after the Freedom Park revealed a gallery of South African and international "heroes" (see here). The South African list contains a majority of ANC figures en no names of Afrikaner freedom fighters like Paul Kruger, M.T. Steyn, Christiaan de Wet en Koos de la Rey.
These Afrikaner heroes were freedom fighters in every sense of the word for their resistance to British hegemony in South Africa. The international list contains no names from Western history - not even Abraham Lincoln who abolished slavery.
According to Mr. Willie Spies, FF Plus MP in Pretoria, all South Africans who desire reconciliation and peaceful coexistence between the country's racial groups should boycott the Freedom Park . "The Freedom Park's initial ideals are shattered. The Park that aimed to promote reconciliation in South Africa transformed into a monstrosity whereby tax money is used to glorify the ANC and to insult others", Spies said.
The FF Plus also said that the numerous positive statements that Zuma made about Afrikaners will be nullified if he does not distance himself from the Park. "It does not make sense that Zuma calls Afrikaners the only white tribe of Africa but associates him with decisions to exclude Afrikaners from history."
Besides the latest development there was also the Freedom Park 's wall of remembrance set up for South Africans who died in military conflicts. The names of SA soldiers who died in the bush war in the 70's and 80's were excluded while names of Cuban fighters were strangely included.
According to Spies the Freedom Park is fast becoming a symbol of division and alienation instead of a symbol of reconciliation. "It is very sad that the ANC misuses the Park to promote a one-sided viewpoint of history and to insult a portion of the population thereby."
Statement issued by Freedom Front Plus MP Willie Spies March 20 2009
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